Trends in Lip Augmentation: Surgical vs. Nonsurgical Options
Trends in Lip Augmentation: Surgical vs. Nonsurgical Options
It is widely believed that a beautiful smile is the best first impression, which says a lot about the importance of maintaining the appearance of your lips, whether you’re a man or a woman. If you’re looking for a quick, safe, and effective facial rejuvenation treatment that can enhance your facial appearance, lip augmentation provides an instant improvement that can freshen up your smile, brightening your whole face.
With celebrities such as Kylie Jenner and Bella Hadid advocating for the procedure, lip augmentation has become all the rage, as people have become aware of how plump, full lips can dramatically improve a person’s overall facial appearance.
At Glamour Plastic Surgery and Med Spa, lip augmentation is one of our specialties, and the procedure is performed by our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Olga Bachilo, a respected Bellaire-area physician with a slew of satisfied patients in Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, and neighboring communities in the greater Houston area.
What is Lip Augmentation?
Lip augmentation is a simple cosmetic procedure that increases volume and definition in the lips, producing fuller, plumper lips and reducing the appearance of vertical lines around the contours of the lips. Lip augmentation may also achieve improvements in the shape of your lips, such as accenting the cupid’s bow at the top center of the lips.
How is Lip Augmentation performed?
There is no single standard procedure for achieving fuller lips. Augmentation may be achieved through the use of dermal fillers or lip implants. There are even other options such as fat grafting and/or tissue grafting, during which skin and fat from other areas of your body may be transferred to your lips to enhance them. The main question when considering lip augmentation is whether you want a procedure that produces temporary or permanent results.
Below are the various lip augmentation procedures offered by Dr. Bachilo at Glamour Plastic Surgery and Med Spa:
· Lip fillers
Dr. Bachilo uses a variety of dermal fillers that may be injected into the upper and lower lips, as well as around the lip line, such as Restylane, Juvéderm, and RHA. Dr. Bachilo will help you determine which formulas may be most suitable for you. Through skillful and precise application of each formula, Dr. Bachilo is not only able to enhance the volume and fullness of your lips, but also their shape. Lip fillers also make the lips appear more defined.
Lip augmentation with fillers is a simple outpatient procedure that takes little time and requires no downtime. The treatment takes about fifteen to thirty minutes to complete, so you could even get the treatment on your lunch break. There is no downtime required and you may continue normal activities immediately after the procedure, although you will be advised to not bite, squeeze, or press the lips for at least 24 hours following the procedure, so you will have to refrain from kissing anyone that day. The results of your lip filler injections will typically last about eight to twelve months.
· Lip implants
In most cases, it is advisable to try lip fillers for a while to see if you’re truly happy with your new appearance before committing to a more permanent lip augmentation procedure. If, after trying lip fillers, you are certain that you’d like a more permanent procedure, Dr. Bachilo may recommend lip implants.
During your introductory consultation, Dr. Bachilo will evaluate the condition of your lips, as well as your aesthetic goals to determine the type and size of lip implant that would suit you best.
The lip implant is an outpatient procedure performed in the comfort of our facility and takes about 30 minutes to perform. Prior to the procedure, we will sterilize and numb the lips. Following this, Dr. Bachilo will make a tiny incision at each corner of the mouth and create a tunnel in the lips that follows the shape of the lip using a curved tool called an alligator clamp, which opens once it reaches the end of the tunnel, allowing Dr. Bachilo to gently and precisely slide the implant into the tunnel and position it underneath the natural fat of the lip, and above the muscle tissue. Once the implants are securely positioned, Dr. Bachilo will use a couple of absorbable sutures to close the incisions.
There is no downtime following a lip implant but you may experience slight swelling, tenderness and redness, and you will be advised not to touch, rub, bite, scratch, or in any way irritate the lips for at least 24 hours following the procedure. No kissing until swelling and soreness subsides!
· Fat grafting
A newer alternative to injectable lip fillers and silicone implants is the option of using your body’s own tissue to enhance your lips, a procedure known as autologous lip augmentation. One type of autologous procedure is fat transfer or fat grafting, a procedure that is very low-risk and provides totally natural-looking results. The fat transfer procedure is performed as an outpatient treatment at our facility under local anesthesia.
The fat used in the fat transfer procedure is harvested from your belly, typically from the area surrounding the belly button, and is then liquified and injected into your lips. The fat transfer procedure may take between sixty and ninety minutes to perform and there is no downtime; however, as with other procedures, you’ll want to protect your lips from any pressure or irritation for a full day following the treatment. The results from a fat transfer lip augmentation may last as much as five years or longer.
· Tissue grafting
Tissue grafting is another type of autologous lip augmentation. This procedure uses a piece of your own skin or dermis in addition to liquified fat to achieve the lip augmentation. The skin use in the procedure is typically harvested from the abdomen.
This procedure is also performed under local anesthesia in our office, and may take from sixty to ninety minutes to complete. Recovery is similar to that of other surgical lip augmentation procedures, and results may last as long as five years or more.
How do lip fillers compare with surgical lip augmentation?
Lip fillers effectively plump up your lips and improve their shape. But fillers offer only a semi-permanent solution. Lip fillers are ideal for those who aren’t sure whether or not they want a permanent augmentation. It’s great to experiment with different fillers and different looks before committing to a more permanent lip augmentation procedure.
Lip implants and autologous grafts provide far more permanent solutions. While lip implants effectively produce a plumper, more defined, and more symmetrical appearance, and may last for decades once inserted, the risks are slightly higher than the risks associated with lip fillers. Surgical procedures may not be the most suitable solution for every patient. Dr. Bachilo can help you determine the best way for you to get the plump, full lips you desire.
What next?
If you’re ready to rejuvenate and improve your facial appearance simply and effectively with a lip augmentation treatment, contact our friendly staff at Glamour Plastic Surgery and Med Spa to schedule your complimentary consultation with Dr. Bachilo today!